The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-23

The grim old eoiored serving man an
swered:
sYer nother-in-law's got the rnewks TO-
day
-Wha-a-tF'
~Yer mother-in-law's got the mewksr
What do You meanF
sShe's got one of her spells, sir, when no
body can do nothing to please her II You
ask her if she'll have the carriage ont she
snaps your head OF, and says we're tryin' to
torment her into her grave. Then she draws
her mouth down at the corners, and saya
she'll be in her grave soon enough, dear
knows, with all her sufferings Better nos
go In to-day. sir.
The man was an old familiar. and spoke his
mind 10 Philip. But Philip strobe past him.
On sofa up stairs lay the lady with the pow
erfully emotional nature. She had a wrinkled
nose. Il was red and shiny to-day from
much rubbing. Her eyes were as the leaden,
hfeless orbs of maekerel in pickle TIE
good dame had an inexhaustible capacity for
tears. Her mouth was drawn down at the
corners hahitually. Today it was very far
down, indeed. She looked up when she heard
somebody coming.
She saw it was her son-in-law and put her
handkerchief to her eyes. He laid a heavy
hand on her shoulder He held the paper to-
ward her.
@Woman, what devils lie is this!-
Instantly she removed the handkerchief
and stared at him with dry, spiteful eyes.
"Cio on she said Its hike YOU. You
want to beat me black and blue, do youl and
drive me crazy, you did my poor dar-
hngi Go on Tn only weak. helpless
woman
His hand dropped A crimson flush, turn
ing to purple, slowly dyed the cheek of Philip
Dumoray
"If people viii talk, I'm sure can't help
il, y she went on complainingly. Il don't see
why you come here TO insult me in my own
house, and my poor darling insane, and me
with my nerves all Shattered
"She put up her handkerchief again.
81 beg your pardon said Philip. "But
you must know you set this lie going your
self, by your insinuations.-
Down went the handkerchief
The idea," exclaimed Mrs. Bliss.
Have YOU ever noticed how woman looks
when she says-the ideat \ man never saws
it. Into these two words she puts all the EN-
phaSis that should go with those stronger ex-
pressions, the use of which is denied her on
account of her sex. She may not swear she
may not fire a boOtjack at the candle, she
may not even SO off and drown her SORROWS.
She may only say-the idea, In that one
expletive she must vent all the venom and
vinegar of her gentle nature.
Mrs Bliss sat bolt upright and remarked
"The idea!n
Philip Dumoray sighed. His mind was
settling into the coldness of despair He saw
the disadvantage he was at. The lady saw
the advantage which was hers. Up went the
handkerchief
Nr,yN To h.-ir,r
sorrow to an early grave" she whined "As
if l hadn't got enough to bear from you now,
with my poor darling where she is, and my
nerves ell shattered-boo-hooi"
Philip turned away. The lady had left a
corner of one eye uncovered to watch him
She saw the movement, and sat upright
again. She became majestic. In the con-
sciousness of injured virtue and superior suf-
ferings, the estimable lady fairly lowered, at
that moment. With a scepter-like wave OF
her hand towards the door, and in toplofti-
cal tone of voice, she said:
"Relieve this mansion of your odious pres
ence instantly"
Well, he went.
He resolved to do what he could 20 right
the wrong he had wrought He set aside
portion of his property in the hands of trus-
tees who would use the income for the care OF
The rest he would devote to searching the
earth for his sons. He could not give them
up.
He spent all his fortune in the search for
his boys At last he gave them up for dead.
He returned home. No comfort for him
there. He found himself looked upon with
coldness and mistrlst. Men who had broken
his bread in better days passed him without
speaking. Women who had been his mothers
friends gave him a glance of horror, and
hurried ON, in the common belief he had fired
his own house with the monstrous intent that
his insane wife should perish within. Thus
skillfully had malice wrought its work.
He had now tc earn his bread. He looked
for work Who would give employment to
one suspected of so foul a crime! No man.
At length he was driven to say:
Il will go away, where no living creature
has heard my name. l will shut this hateful
world out of my sight"
Were not these hard lines for young man
who had always he'd his own way?